The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-04-01

fcations prescribed by the constitu- |
tion.' The qualifications of women |
voters are just as definitely prescribed |
in the constitutional amendment as |
they have been and now are in the |
for men voters. What
more would he have? That officer al.
so raises the objection that.no provision
of law has been made for receiving
the votes of women. No such proyi-
sion of law is needed to provide sepa-
rate ballot boxes; classifying women
on separate poll list in unnecessary
they may vote for school officers under
The same regulations as men. ALI that
is required of women voters is that
they should have ballots written or
printed prepared: il it be only for
school commissioner, the name of the
candidate voted for, and an endorse
ment on the ballot For school CON-
missioner" is sufficient. The ballot
will be put in the same box as other
ward officers. and there can be no
mistake or confusion in its being right
ly counted. Such is the opinion of
good judges of the law. There are, of
course, differences of opinion, and will
continue to be until test case shall be
settled by the Supreme Court.
We repeat, in substance what was
said. last week, the TELEGRAPH does
not counsel women to exercise the suf-
frage right unless they believe it duty
to make their influence more potent in
securing good order and the suppress.
sion of wrong.
THE LEGISLATURE AND RAIL-
WAY PASSES.
The Interstate Commerce Law pass.
ed by Congress declares no person shall
be carried free on the railroads, except
the officers and the employees on the
road. This law goes into effect the
first of April, 1887. Our legislature at
Madison assumes the right to retain
the privilege for themselves to ride
free on the railroads. A bill passed
the Assembly, by vote of AZ to 33,
providing that the railroads shall fur.
nish free transportation to all members
of the legislature, state officials and
judges Of the courts of record. Per-
haps this is wise policy, and perhaps
not. The granting of free transport
tation' is but another name for free
passes. 1t has been complaint of the
people during years past that the grant
ing of free passes to members Of the
Legislature and their friends was cal
culated to influence favorable legisla-
ton in the interests of the roads, to
the neglect of the interests of the peo-
pie. Whether such favoritism had inn
proper influence will not now be
charged, but it was natural that such
suspicious were INDUCED. 1t will be
but light tax on the railroads to give
members of the legislature free trans.
portation, compared with the pass sys.
tenn as it heretofore existed. The leg.
islature might, with equal propriety,
require the roads to furnish free dinners
and lunches, especially on roads they
own and run the eating houses. Pro.
badly the people of the state would
generally have been better pleased had
the issuing of passes favoring parti.
cular class been entirely abolished, as
was suggested by some of the mem.
bers. and the rate of travel on the rail
roads fixed at two cents a mile. Such
is the rate in many parts of this coun-
try. The particular reason for making
members of the legislature privileged
class in riding on the railroads was
not clearly brought out in the discus
sion on the bill. The members of the
legislature requiring the railroads to
give them free transportation, as a
particular class, would seem to involve
some compensatory obligation on the
part of the law-making power.
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